ѕнυт υp and dance wιтн мe
by invisiblemirage
Summary: Jurassic World is celebrating the first three successful months of it's opening, but Owen just can't seem to get into the party mood until he asks Natalia to dance. Fluffy one-shot for a lovely friend, based off of our threads and a very inspiring gif set.


A smoky haze welcomed the dancers as they climbed onto the floor. Flashy, bright dresses for the ladies, nice shirts and ties for the men, paired with fancy jeans. It was enough to get the party started. The bass pulsed through the air as the lights swirled around. In true fashion of Hammond's memory, Masrani had been careful to 'spare no expense.' Jurassic World had opened, more successful than anyone had dared dream of.

Owen had held his breath as he had made his way through that first day, and the first few weeks to follow. While his work with the raptors remained largely unaffected by the thousands and thousands of tourists milling about, he was more than familiar with the disaster that had been the old park. Jurassic Park had fallen to the raw power of the dinosaurs, as predicted by Ian Malcolm. Chaos theory, one. Dinosaurs, one. Jurassic Park? Zero, and a lot of deaths on top of it.

Jurassic World seemed to be about to even the score. The park had been an incredible, unprecedented success. Those in charge had learned from the horrific stories of the past, and had created a seemingly stable environment. Owen had to wonder if it would last.

Yet, here he was, celebrating the first three months of the park with the entirety of the staff. He sipped a beer straight from the bottle, leaning against the wall. A little underdressed for the occasion due to not returning home to change between work and the party, he felt it would be best to remain in the shadows rather than draw attention to himself. He chatted with a few coworkers as he watched the crowd move. Happy faces, some a little tipsy for so early in the night, celebrated their achievement. He shook his head, a cynical sigh escaping his lips.

"We'll see how this goes." He tipped his head back, taking a long swallow from the bottle of beer. His eyes roamed the dance floor, watching the partiers. That woman was here, Natalia. The beautiful one he had met a few days ago. She had been sent to observe his time with the velociraptors. They hadn't spent much time together, but it hadn't been the worst few days of his life. He watched her as she conversed with another coworker, a smile on her red lips as she bobbed to the music. Charming.

She felt his eyes on her and turned her attention to him. Owen managed to look away just before he was caught. He lifted the beer to his lips once more, savoring the taste. A look at his watch revealed he had only been here an hour, and had at least one more to go before he felt it would be a good time to sneak out.

He usually loved parties, but this one made him uneasy. The animals were wild, unpredictable. He knew how the last park had gone south, and he knew there was huge risk involved just by being on site. His protests had gone unheard, as he had expected. He did his job, and made sure that he kept care with his own animals. Still, he couldn't help but feel that they were celebrating prematurely.

Owen found himself admiring the redhead again. She moved easily, fluidly, as if the song playing was the sea, and she was an Olympic swimmer. The coworker she had been speaking with had asked her to dance, and they had taken to the floor to upstage all of the other pairs; or so it seemed. A tiny smile found its way to Owen's lips. Natalia knew how to move.

The night rolled on. Owen had a few conversations with a few people he had seen around the park. He learned the current keeper of the triceratops and a few more herbivores was planning on leaving within the next week. She was engaged to be married. As much as she loved her job, her husband-to-be was a marine, and she had to go where he went. She was in the market for a replacement for her beloved dinosaurs. Her eyes were on a woman named Alexandra Shima. Confident they'd be in good hands, she told Owen to keep his eyes out for her if she got the job.

"I have a feeling you two will get along very well." Carmella grinned.

"I'll make sure I say hello." Owen promised.

Not long after that, Carmella excused herself to go work on packing. She needed to get it done early so that her last few days could be spent with her dinosaurs. She already missed them terribly. Owen gave her a hug goodbye, wishing her luck, promising to keep in touch.

After Carmella left, Owen made his way over to an empty table. He took a seat, watching the dancers as he tried some of the food. The scent of the grilled chicken and pineapple had his stomach growling. He filled his plate and dug in, savoring every bit of the Hawaiian flavor.

"You know, it's a party. You're supposed to socialize."

Owen looked up, surprised anyone had noticed him. But there she was, that trademark smirk on her lips, a glass of champagne in her hand. Natalia. "Care to join me?"

"Don't mind if I do." She sat down across from him, raising her glass to her lips for a quick sip of the bubbly drink. Her red lipstick didn't leave a stain on the glass. "So, what's the great raptor keeper doing all alone at what should be the party of the century?"

"Party of the century?" he laughed. "That good, huh?"

Natalia shrugged. "Could be."

Owen leaned back in his seat. "You ever get the feeling that something is very, very wrong?"

It was Natalia's turn to shrug. Of course she had, in more ways than she could let on. "Is that what's bothering you?"

"How did you know somethin's bothering me?"

"It's written all over your face, Owen. You're not the type to sit out a good party."

"I keep thinking about the old park." He admitted, meeting her gaze. "You gotta wonder, how likely is it that that could happen again?"

Natalia knew that. In fact, that was one of the reasons she was here. SHIELD wanted to keep an eye on Jurassic World. There was more going on under the surface than the majority of people could have ever guessed. The minority that was in on it kept their lips sealed. Hence Natasha Romanoff's presence. She didn't quite believe the island was safe, either.

"I wonder about it too," she replied, keeping true to her character. She could be one heck of an actress if she wanted to be. She'd already given several Oscar-worthy performances. "But, sometimes, you just have to let go and trust. We've already had three fully operational months. That's what we're celebrating tonight. An object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, remember? So, if we twist that logic a little, it makes sense to believe things that are going okay will remain okay, at least for a little while."

"Until something else crashes in and destroys those things."

She gave Owen a reassuring smile. "Don't worry so much. The risks are there, I agree. You'd be an idiot not to see them. But I'm here, remember? One of my jobs is to make sure things are being handled correctly. And," she placed her hand over his. "I've been very happy with what I've been seeing."

Owen let his lips twitch into a smile, his green eyes still on Natalia's. She was right. Worrying would not stop a disaster. He would be foolish to become complacent and blind, but with the right amount of caution, he knew things would be all right, at least for himself and his girls. That dark foreboding still nagged at the back of his mind, but it was quieter now.

"At least enjoy tonight." Natalia's eyes flickered in the dim light, their beauty captivating. "Okay?"

That sounded good. A night off from stress wouldn't kill anyone. He nodded. "Sounds good."

She smiled at him, and began to get up. Owen seized his chance while it was still in front of him.

"Would you like to dance?"

Electronic beats pulsed through the air. The smoky room was hazy in the best possible way. Lights bounced off of the wall, moving in hypnotizing ways. Groups clustered on the floor, sequined dresses flashing, stilettos stomping. Men moved in sync with the woman that had agreed to dance with them. The scene parted like water, allowing Owen and Natalia to enter in. The color of her backless dress flattered her. The cut left little of her shape to the imagination but left enough covered to allow mystery to be present in her outfit. Her eyes glittered as she moved with Owen. The pair swept across the floor as if they were the only two there. Owen caught her in one arm, dipping her so low that her short curls nearly brushed the floor. She snapped up and twirled, hips swaying as she pulled off an expert move.

"How have you not been on Dancing with the Stars?" Owen teased, doing his best to keep up. He matched her, countering with a killer move of his own.

"You watch Dancing with the Stars?" Natalia smirked, her perfect brow hooked.

Owen chose not to tell her about how his old girlfriend had been obsessed, and insisted they learn every routine. That had eventually been the death of the relationship. His girlfriend was more into that show than she ever had been into him. He couldn't say he was too broken up about it.

He spun Natalia, watching her dress fan out as she moved. She was so beautiful, her moves effortless, nearly divine. Her skill was unmatched by anyone else on the floor. A few watched from the background, awe evident on their faces.

Owen's face split into a grin. He let go, dancing to the fullest extent of his talent. He let the music take him as he glided across the floor. Jumps, twists, anything to keep up with Natalia. The smile on her face told him he was doing a good job. His signature hip thrust move amused her.

Owen caught her, twisting her around him. She turned to face him, hooking one leg around his waist, the other remaining outstretched as she lowered herself, executing a professional level move.

"Where did you learn to dance like this?"

Natalia only gave him a knowing smirk before spinning away.

Cake. There was a cake being served in the back. It was shaped like a Tyrannosaur, made by the finest chefs on the island. Owen seemed to be the only one to notice dessert being served. Everyone else was watching Natalia.

"Don't look back. Keep your eyes on me." She grinned, and he was under her spell once again. The cake forgotten, his focus returned on the beautiful girl in front of him.

"You're holding back," he teased. She was incredible. Every move seemed choreographed. The music melded to her every whim and desire. It anticipated her every need, her every whim, and obeyed. It was quite a sight. Owen knew he would remember the way her hair fell across her face, her green eyes alight with laughter, for the rest of his life. They were bound to be together, if only for this one, magical night.

Natalia laughed, taking his arm. "Shut up, and dance with me."


End file.
